


Survival

by Thelaststar001



Category: Spooks | MI-5
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Rape Aftermath, Romance, Torture, Underage Rape/Non-con
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:48:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 18,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25594543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thelaststar001/pseuds/Thelaststar001
Summary: When fourteen year old Leo gets accepted to work for MI-5, life takes a horrific turn as she finds herself at the mercy of a target. Meanwhile, MI-6 scramble to find her, but years on her case is a joke, given to junior officers, such as Zafar Younis. Will he be able to find Leo? What will happen if he does? Disclaimer: I don't own the Spooks franchise.
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

Leonora POV

It was Wednesday 24th December, Christmas Eve. The year was 2004 and a layer of snow had just begun to settle, coating the surrounding fields in white. The usual sound of traffic was muffled; the snow had seen to that. I sat on the bed, staring out of the window as the snow fell silently.

"Leonora, are you decent?" Tom called softly from behind the door, jolting me out of the silence.

"Yes." I responded, watching closely as Tom opened the door.

"The costumes were just dropped off. Here's yours. Is your legend holding up?" He moved to put the bulky package on my bed.

"As well as it has been for the past two weeks." My voice was icy.

"Okay, don't jump down my throat. It's just that you're kind of new here. I was just checking." He held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Sorry." My tone was still clipped but at least I apologised.

"Tonight should go smoothly enough." Tom was struggling for conversation. I pulled my knees up to my chest and stared out of the window, waiting for him to leave. It wasn't that I disliked Tom Quinn, in fact he was a decent enough person, but when I thought about the mission ending and returning home, my stomach turned. Luckily, Tom got the message and left, no doubt going to get dressed, as I should too.

I ripped open the parcel on my bed and a hand-written note fell out. It read:

Hi Leo,

Just wanted to wish you the best of luck on ending your first operation.

Danny and Zoe

P.S. You will probably have to burn this.

I smiled. Danny and Zoe had been nothing but kind since I had joined the service a month ago and it was nice to have some sort of light in the hell-hole that was he safe-house. I held the note up to a candle and watched as it shrivelled. I attacked the remainder of the package with interest as the theme of tonight's ball was in the style of late 1850's fashion. I had practically begged Malcolm for a suit and he had obliged, saying that he would do his best. As a red monstrosity emerged, I realised that his best hadn't been enough. Another note was attached:

Sorry. Harry said that it was best not to cause a stir.

The note was unsigned but I burned it anyway, feeling slightly hard done by. I held the dress up and sighed. Reluctantly, I pulled the rest of the outfit from the bag and worked out the different pieces. First, I shucked off my clothes and slid into a linen chemise, pulling on stockings and gartering them with black ribbons below the knee. With a bit of foresight, I also laced up my shoes, not wanting to do it when I was under pounds of fabric. Already, I hated what I was wearing but I knew there was worse to come. I picked up the red brocaded corset and tried to lace it up, but my fumbling fingers kept slipping. After about ten minutes of frustration, I threw myself down on to the bed and tried to figure out a better way to complete the task. Maybe Tom would help. The idea of asking him was almost physically repulsive, but it seemed that I had no other choice. I thought about for a while longer before walking down the hall from my bedroom and knocking on his door.

"Coming." He called. I heard his footsteps coming towards the door and I almost fled, shame already coursing through me. It was too late, as Tom pulled the door open and gaped. "Leonora, you're fourteen! I can't do this, wouldn't even if I wanted to!" It took me a moment to figure out what he meant. Then it hit me.

"Fuck you. Did you really think that I wanted to shag you? I'm not some kind of slut, you know. I just needed help doing this stupid thing up!" I was seething at his assumption. Tom had the good grace to look extremely uncomfortable.

"I'm very sorry. I didn't mean any disrespect, but I had to let you know that what I thought you wanted wasn't going to happen because you are still a child." His voice was apologetic.

"Nice. Old enough to work for the British Security Service but still considered a child." I said bitterly.

"It's just work experience until you are old enough to go to university." Tom pointed out.

"Yeah, paid work experience." I bit back. "Anyway, are you going to help me with this thing or not?" Tom nodded and motioned for me to turn around. He made quick work of the laces whilst I stood silently thinking about the ball. "Fucking arms dealer. Who chooses a late 1850's ball to meet his buyers at?" I mused out loud. Tom barked a laugh.

"It's not the worst place to meet." He said.

"I beg to differ." I replied, gesturing at my body. I turned to leave, expecting some sort of witty comeback but none came so I walked back to my room, not looking back once. I managed to button up a corset cover and pull on a pair of drawers but the actions left me fighting for breath, even though the corset was not laced tightly. The skirts and crinoline were easy enough although by the time I was finished, I barely had any time left. Rushing slightly, I pulled the dress on with great difficulty, realising too late that it buttoned at the back. Shit. I would have to ask Tom for some more help. Looping my hair into a flat bun, I secured the wig on my head, grabbing the inordinate amount of accessories and almost running to Tom's room. He opened the door just as I reached it. Lingering anger flaring, I gestured with my head to the back of my dress. Tom nodded and began doing them up as I pulled on the elbow length black gloves and fastening the midnight choker around my neck.


	2. Chapter 2

Tom POV

I still felt bad for my earlier assumption, could see how much I had hurt Leonora. Now, as I looked at her, resplendent in a heavily beaded red dress, I wondered how many had made the same mistake. It was so easy to forget that she was still a child, with her piercing emerald eyes and intellect that rivalled Harry's. She didn't bother with niceties often, yet somehow had the entire team on her side. She tugged impatiently at a curl in her wig, black gloved hand stark against her moon white skin. Here was a girl who seemed to have it all, but in truth, she was just as fucked up on the inside as any of us. The story circulating about her was that her father had forced her to accept MI-5's offer of 'work experience' when all she had wanted to do was join the marines. That would explain the way that she regarded going home, and her earlier mood. I heard the car pull up outside and moved for the door but Leonora beat me to it, disappearing outside. I followed, carefully checking that the safe-house was locked. Truthfully, I wasn't going to miss the place at all, with its damp walls and antiquated heating system. I was, however, going to miss the feeling of being on an operation; I always did.

Snow was still falling as I climbed into the car beside Leonora. She ignored me completely, which was fine now but once we were there, things would have to change. I had observed her closely over the past couple of weeks, and had found that her mask was impeccable. It was so good that she could have told me her impoliteness was also a facade and I wouldn't have been too shocked. I spiralled into my own thoughts, of Christmas and the year beyond it. For these few minutes, I could dream. I resurfaced abruptly when the car halted outside the venue. I didn't recognise this part of London all too well, and I scanned the streets for side-alleys and the like. There were a few, but none that were obscure enough to have been missed by the team. As that thought whirled through my head, I spotted a familiar blue van. It looked like surveillance was running then. I turned to Leonora, who was waiting for my instruction to leave the car, a cheerful yet subdued mask sliding into place. I nodded and we began walking up the steps, the picture of courtly elegance. I almost laughed at the thought of some high-grade arms dealer attending an event like this, but as we entered, I spotted him in the crowd.

Leo POV

I felt Tom stiffen slightly and followed his gaze to where our man stood, returning our stare. I detached myself from Tom's arm and floated over to where he stood.

"Hello, Mr. Matthews. It is lovely to see you again." He regarded me with a cold stare that made me feel naked, despite my layers.

"Miss Montague. The pleasure is mine." His words were flat and emotionless.

"My brother, William, is here and is willing to discuss business." I was trying to push him into talking to Tom so we could finish the op.

"Business can wait. How about a dance?" He asked, smile predatory. I was disgusted but fluttered my eyelashes at him, fully playing my part as a distraction.

"I would be honoured." I answered, voice breathy. His hand was tight on my waist as we swirled together. He was about a foot taller than me, with short brown hair and a tanned complexion. The most striking feature about him was his eyes, bottomless black pits that were now focused on me, or rather my cleavage. I was all too relieved when the dance finished. As the music began again, I grabbed Tom and danced once more, feeling far more relaxed.

"He seems to be fine." I said quietly. Tom frowned.

"Something just doesn't seem right. For a start, the venue." He mused.

"It's probably a fetish thing, or a way to intimidate us." I replied, shaking my head slightly.

"I'm going to send a report in anyway. I'll go to the bathroom to do it. I should be five minutes." With that, Tom left, striding through the crowds. I moved towards the edge of the room to observe but a hand caught my arm in a vice-like grip. It was Matthews.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing without a partner?" His voice sent a shiver down my spine.

"I am just waiting for my brother. He will return soon." He slipped a hand around my waist. In any other circumstance, I would have punched him but for the sake of the operation, I refrained.

"Oh. I was thinking about leaving, but may change my mind if you agree to accompany me outside, whilst I smoke." Panic flared through me. He couldn't leave, and I had to stop him, using any means possible.

"I suppose I shall." I agreed and let him lead me out of the doors. Tom had told me not to leave the building and had even threatened a disciplinary hearing if I did so, but this warranted special measures. We stood on the steps, as the snow fell around us. I could feel myself start to shiver, but not from the cold as Matthews' hands started to roam across my body. He traced the neckline of my dress with his fingers and then his eyes met mine.

"I know you're a spy." The words shattered through my self control. "Now, you are going to get into the back of that car." He used his advantage to begin pushing me down the steps.

"No! Tom!" I yelled frantically trying to turn around. A syringe pricked my arm and the world became dark.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains the worst of the torture/ rape. If you are uncomfortable with this, please skip ahead to the next chapter. Thank you for reading.

Leo POV

I woke up groggily, realising that my hands had been tied above my head. Frantically, I looked around, trying to assess where I was. The grey walls and minimal decor told me enough: I was in a cell. My arms protested as my feet gave way, sending me swinging from my wrists. My breath was restricted in this position and I glanced down in renewed horror to find that I had been stripped naked. Behind me, the door squealed and heavy footsteps sounded on the concrete floor. Matthews walked to face me, grinning wickedly.

"I caught you, little rabbit but I will not kill you yet, oh no. I have a better use for you." He ran a finger across my breast. I spat at him, anger flaring through me. "Naughty girl." He tutted, catching my chin in his hand. "I will have fun disciplining you." He purred, too close for any sort of comfort. "Today is Christmas and upstairs, I have some presents waiting for you. We are going to go there now and if you resist, or try to run away, I will have you dragged back here. I don't think that you'd like me when I'm angry." With that threat, he began to untie me, rubbing himself against me far more than was necessary. Bile rose in my mouth. He took my upper arm and dragged me from the cell, taking enough twists and turns to confuse me. Finally, we reached a door that he unlocked and opened, throwing me inside. He shut it again, locking it tightly and sliding the key into a pocket on his wrist. My only hope of escaping was dwindling fast. 

I surveyed the room now, not even trying to hide my disgust. It was decorated as if it was the bedroom of a princess, with regal gold adorning white walls, but further than that, the comparison failed. There was a frosted window set too high in the ceiling for me to climb out and the majority of the light came from a hideous black crystal chandelier in the centre of the room. A large bed adorned with straps and chains took up the majority of the room, whilst foreign leather contraptions were suspended from the ceiling. A row of whips, paddles, switches and the like were fastened to the wall, making me shiver. At this, Matthews wrapped an arm around me and lifted me to sit before a pile of presents. 

"What do you say?" He purred. I remained silent. He grasped my chin tightly. "What do you say?" He was growling now. Stubbornly, I stared at him. Faster than I could detect, his hand flew and caught the side of my face, leaving it stinging. I yelped. "What do you say?" I was aware of his hovering hand, so gave in.

"Thank you." I ground out. His face contorted into something between rage and glee. His hand shot out again, finding the same mark.

"You will address me as master." He whispered into my ear. "Are we clear?" I desperately wanted to refuse, but from my minimal hostage training, I remembered that keeping on the good side of one's captor could be the difference between life and death.

"Yes master." Matthews released me, grinning.

"Now, let's open your presents. Start with these, so you can be dressed." He handed me a few brightly wrapped packages which I reluctantly tore open. Inside the first was a heavily boned under-bust corset, complete with locks and hoops. In the second, there was a collar and in the third a set of lingerie. "Stand." Matthews instructed, and I did as I was told. He laced the corset up expertly, until it was so tight that I could barely draw breath. Pain was exploding through my ribs, but I fought to stay standing as I almost blacked out. He locked it into place and slid his hands around my waist. "This is just the start. By the time that I'm finished with you, I will be able to encircle you completely." He vowed into my ear. He followed up by locking the collar into place and sliding a pair of stockings up my legs, which he secured to the corset. "One more thing." He said, reaching down for a small ring, too small to fit around the finger, that I hadn't noticed before. "Spread your legs." He instructed. I hesitated, not sure of what to do. My instincts screamed no to me. In my moment of decision, Matthews pulled me to him, kissing me roughly and robbing me of any air. Light headed, I could only watch as he pushed me onto the bed and snapped the ring onto my clitoris. "Much better." He said, sounding triumphant. He clicked a button on a remote and the ring began vibrating. "Now, on with the presents."

I managed to get off the bed and walk stiffly to kneel before the pile of parcels. The vibrations against my clitoris had forced me to become slick, and some dripped onto the carpet where I knelt. Matthews noticed, and smiled, seating himself on a chair. He began passing me packages which I dutifully opened, finding within them things that I was uncomfortably unfamiliar with. Gags, harnesses and other 'toys' which looked more like torture devices to me. When I had finished unwrapping the many things, Matthews stood before me, a strange device in his hand. He fastened it around my head and it forced my lips wide open. He grabbed a long piece of rubbery plastic and began shoving it down my throat as I gagged and tried to breathe. 

"Good girl. I am going to have a lot of fun with you." He purred.


	4. Chapter 4

Zaf POV

I stared intently at the computer screen in front of me. As MI-6's most junior officer, I had been assigned the operation known as 'White Dryad', or in a more informal setting 'Hopeless'. Four years ago, when I had just been starting university, a fourteen year old girl had been kidnapped by a weapons dealer. Now, her case was almost cold, with no information ever surfacing, save for developments in the form of 'signs of life', every three months or so. I had listened to each one of the tapes, and vomited afterwards. It was unknown whether she was even still alive, let alone where she was being kept, so MI-6 had begun to regard the case as a futile waste of time, only to be assigned to the most junior of officers. Even if Harry Pearce enquired after it monthly.

Leonora's intense stare felt piercing, even through the computer. Although I knew she was fourteen in the photo, it was hard to reconcile the fact with the image. An alert flew up on my screen: CAPTOR SPOTTED DRIVING AWAY FROM PRIVATE AIRPORT IN ENGLAND. MI-5 REQUEST YOUR PRESENCE FOR BRIEFING AND POSSIBLE OPERATION.

Fuck. Was I any closer to finding her? I did not want to fail her, could not, when she still stared at me through the screen. But now would come the explaining to Harry about the complete disregard for the operation. I sighed, pulling on my coat and walking out of the office.

I was standing in MI-5's D-section briefing room, waiting as their officers filed in. Some, like Adam and Fiona Carter, I recognised, but most were unfamiliar. Harry came striding in, a small folder in his hands.

"Everyone, this is Zafar Younis. Zaf, this is everyone. We don't have time for pleasantries so you will have to learn as you go along. Now, you are going to tell us everything that you know about this case, and then we'll go from there." I nodded, sorting my thoughts out into a cohesive order.

"Four years ago, a fourteen year old girl was kidnapped from an operation on Christmas Eve. Her name was Leonora Bellatrix DuVere and she was a prodigy, having already finished schooling with some of the best grades that have been seen yet. However, universities were reluctant to take her due to her young age, so she ended up working, informally, for MI-5. Some sources say that she was unhappy with her placement and her family had forced her into it but this can't be verified.

On the night of her kidnap, she was finishing off a two week surveillance operation, known as Monk's Yard, with officer Tom Quinn. They were instructed to lift their target, Roger Matthews, and it was all seeming to go well. Then, the surveillance team watched her go outside with Matthews; the van got hit by an electro-magnetic pulse and contact was lost. We know from CCTV that Matthews abducted the girl and drove to a private airport. From there, it was reported to stop at two airports in Italy, neither having CCTV imaging to catch the girl on. From there, the case went cold, as neither car was seen to be carrying the girl. Local police have searched the area meticulously and no body has been found. The only developments are 'signs of life' in the form of tape recordings, sent through every three months. There were videos to accompany them, but too many officers left after watching them. Even the tapes are indescribably hideous; I threw up after listening to them." I finished, keeping my eyes on the floor.

"Call her by her name. She's not 'the target' or 'the girl' she is a real person. She preferred Leo though, and I can corroborate the story about her family; she wanted to be a marine. I'm Malcolm by the way, and I'm one of the few people around now that knew her." Malcolm said, voice hard.

"Why are you, a junior officer, assigned to this case?" Harry asked, and I knew what he wanted to hear. I was about to begin when Adam cut across me.

"I was assigned to it as a junior officer for about a month. 6 had stopped caring by the time I got there." He told Harry.

"Yes. Now, informally, it is known as 'Operation Hopeless' and very little resources are given to the team working on it. In some circles, it is referred to as 'Lost Girl' although the true name is 'White Dryad'." I watched as a woman's face twisted uncomfortably.

"Oh my god." She whispered softly. "At GCHQ, I overheard a group of MI-6 officers talking about... well, um... shagging Lost Girl." The bastards. I was fuming. So was Harry apparently.

"Ruth, thank you for the intel. Now I need you to get onto 6 and find those videos. You don't have to watch them; we'll sort that out when we have them. Sam, Danny and Fiona; you will be tracing Matthews, using everything available. See if you can get a phone tap on him. Colin and Malcolm; you need to gather all the information we have about her. Her parents have been informed that she's dead but they may be willing to answer some questions. Watch out for the father though; he's ex-armed police and an all round misogynistic bastard. Adam, Zaf, wait here." Harry instructed and everyone, save for Adam filed out of the room. I knew that Harry would most likely berate us now. "What were those monthly reports, then?" He asked, voice tremulous with anger.

"Giles told us to make something up, or use his current location and hypothesise. He didn't want you getting involved, the bastard." I responded, anger in my own voice too.

"Will you be okay watching the videos?" Harry queried, seeming to brush Giles's discrepancy aside. I nodded, as did Adam.

"It can't be any worse than what was done to me." He said, slightly cocky.

"I beg to differ. In the latest tape, her vocal cords snap." I replied, heatedly. Harry shot me a look. I lifted my eyes to the ceiling, frustrated.

"When is the next sign of life due?" Harry asked, distracting me.

"Probably tomorrow." I admitted. "He liked to send them to the British Embassy in whatever country he was in. I reckon that he'll send it straight to us."

"Okay. I want you to meticulously go through the videos for any location changes, or signs of ageing; we need to know if she's still alive." Ruth ran into the room.

"I have the videos." She said,sounding apprehensive.

"Send them to Adam's computer, then talk to GCHQ about Matthews' phone." Ruth nodded and left. "Good luck." Harry said, motioning for us to leave.


	5. Chapter 5

Adam POV

Zaf was a ball of anger next to me; I could practically feel it radiating off him. I pulled up a second chair at my desk and sat in my own, plugging in headphones as I did.

"If you value your hearing, those aren't a good idea." Zaf rasped from behind me.

"What do you suggest?" I asked, a little frustrated.

"Send it to your laptop and we can go to my apartment; no one else in here should even have to hear it." He offered. I nodded; his concern was genuine. As I sent the files over, a hint of nerves ran through my body at the memories that would surely resurface at the sight. Leo had been tortured for four years. That was of course if she was still alive. Picking up my laptop, I walked to the pods, Zaf following closely. As we exited into the busy London streets, the first drizzle of rain began to fall. I walked a step behind Zaf as he navigated the swarm to find his own car. It was parked a little haphazardly, as if he had been rushing, but the sleek Mercedes made me wonder if he was a petrol-head. I'd have to ask. I climbed in, noticing the immaculate interior. Zaf caught my gaze and grinned. "I've had her for a year now. I like to think of her as my baby." I couldn't tell if he was joking. "She even purrs." He was definitely being facetious now. I rolled my eyes.

"I was just checking for the half-eaten takeaway from two nights ago." I said, light-heartedly. He smirked.

"Due to Operation White Dryad, I have been able to avoid most surveillance work. It's a bit boring being a desk spook though. I was hoping to be deployed out somewhere." He explained, face falling slightly. "Sorry for what I said earlier. I haven't heard anything more than rumours about what happened to you and I had no right to compare." His apology was sincere, washing away any residual anger.

"No, you were right. If Leo is alive, she will most likely be in a very bad way. The fact that Matthews isn't asking for a ransom leads me to believe that she is being kept as a plaything." The implications to my statement were endless, but Zaf nodded anyway, jaw tight. We pulled up at a new-looking high-rise tower block, covered in windows. Pulling a key from his pocket, Zaf pressed a button to call the lift. I glanced at the stairs.

"Unless you feel like walking forty flights, which I most certainly don't, I would recommend the lift." Zaf quipped, stepping in to the waiting mouth of the lift. I followed, smiling slightly at his quick wit. We rose quickly, corridors flashing past. The lift halted suddenly and an older woman stepped in. Instantly Zaf was all smiles and charm. "Hello, Mrs. French. How is your husband?" The woman smiled back.

"He is quite well, thank you James. I was just on my way to see if you were home; I've made a double batch of brownies and wondered if you'd like some." She gestured to the tin in her hands.

"You really are too kind." Zaf grinned.

"No, it's my way of saying thank you for sorting out my gas company. It was such a struggle before. May I ask who your friend is?" I marvelled at how easily Zaf had integrated himself into the community.

"Yes, this is Jacob Lamb, and he is one of my colleagues from the Department for International Trade. We had the day off and I invited him back for a cup of tea. You are welcome to join us too, if you like." The legend fell into place very easily.

"Oh no, I can't. I have to go and do my shopping now. Take your brownies, and have a good day. I'll see you around!" The lady called as we exited the lift.

"What if she had said yes?" I hissed to Zaf as he unlocked his door.

"She wasn't going to. Today is Friday and she always drops off some kind of goodies and does her shopping, before taking her husband to bingo. She wouldn't miss it for the world." He replied, stepping inside. I followed, taking in his apartment as he locked the door. It was a clean, modern space, with whitewashed walls and books lining the walls. A large dog came bounding over to greet us, yipping in excitement. "Hello, girl." Zaf ruffled the top of the dog's head. "She's called Madra. It's dog in Irish." He grinned again.

"What's your full legend here?" I asked, curious.

"I am James Trent, from the Department for International Trade. My parents are dead, and I am happily single. My sister works abroad, and we are not on good terms, so she never visits. I am a bit of a loner, and a workaholic but am always happy to help out with problems around the place." He rattled off the information seamlessly.

"What's the real deal?" I wanted to know.

"So many questions. Most of it's true, but I am an only child, and I work for MI-6." He smiled, a little sadly. "It's a bit too easy really." He set the brownies on the kitchen counter. "Bless her." He said, a little absentmindedly. I pulled out my laptop, opening it up and finding the files.

"How about that tea then?" I asked, only half joking.

"I think you'll need something a bit stronger." He said, face dark as he poured two shots of whiskey. "The bathroom's in there." He pointed to a shut door, aware of what was to come. I clicked play and the screaming started.

Seven and a half hours later, we had finished the videos. I had never seen anything so sadistic or twisted and Zaf was right. I hadn't endured anything close to this. Leo's emaciated figure was covered in scars and fresh cuts. I felt bile rise to my throat and I sprinted to the bathroom, throwing up into the sink. I could hear Zaf retching in the kitchen. I wiped a hand across my face, reentering the living room. Zaf came back as well, face pale and drawn.

"She definitely aged. She's most likely still alive." He rasped. "We have to find her."

"I'll report back to Harry." I said, glancing outside. The sky was inky black now.

"If you want, there's a spare bedroom." Zaf offered, aware that I would accept. I still nodded, thankful for his foresight. "I'll give you some space to call Fiona. I'm going to have a shower." With that, he left the room; I picked up the phone, dialling Fiona.

"Hey darling. I won't be home tonight." I said, feeling a little regretful.

"That's okay, as long as you're safe. Wes is in bed now, but I'll tell him that you said hello." Fiona replied, her voice soft.

"I'll see you at work tomorrow." I promised.

"I know."

"Love you, bye."

"Love you too." I heard the beep as she hung up. A sleek grey cat wound itself around my legs. I reached down to pet it but it hissed. A soft laugh told me that Zaf was watching.

"She's called Chairwoman Miaow for a reason." He said, completely deadpan. Despite everything, I cracked a smile.

"Creative. Is there a reason that your pets are female?" I prodded, jokingly. His face creased.

"They were the victims of a hideous man who is thankfully incarcerated for his depravity." The mood deflated instantly. "Sorry. Do you want to watch something? I'm not going to get any sleep." Zaf was dressed back in his suit, managing to still look fresh. Maybe it was the shower.

"Uh... Sure. What were you thinking?" I asked. Zaf shrugged, walking over to a shelf of films.

"I specialise in horror, though there are a few sci-fi things mixed in." I paced to the shelf, noting that the films were organised alphabetically. "Though I haven't watched most of them." At my questioning glance, he elaborated. "They are from a friend who died." I pulled out a film that I had wanted to see since it had been released the year before.

"How about this one?"

"The Curse of Alcatraz. Sure, I haven't seen it yet but it sounds good." Zaf took the case and slotted the disc into the TV. "Do you want something to eat?" He asked, the epitome of politeness.

"You know, I can't tell if you're being ironic, or if your manners are just... a thing. And don't bullshit me with the 6 nonsense." I was not harsh in my tone, but the question hung in the air. Zaf smiled again, and I was sightly unsettled.

"I had a friend, an ex-KGB spy, who had testified in a trial and was living in England, free but under close watch. He was the one who taught me that manners will get you further, even when you're being tortured, apparently. He was the one that all these films came from. Sometimes I am polite to be ironic but mostly it is just how he trained me." I was slightly shocked.

"Do 6 know about this?"

"Yes, it's why I was on White Dryad for so long; they were testing me to see if I was trustworthy. Mikhail was a good man; without him, I would probably be doing some hideous corporate job." Zaf smirked, the gesture now seeming too smooth. "Anyway, food?"

"No thanks. I'll see about eating tomorrow." I replied, settling myself on the sofa. Zaf took an armchair, curling up like some sort of cat. Madra jumped on top of him, wagging her tail enthusiastically as she sat in his lap. The film started and I lost myself in it, trying to block out Leo's screaming.


	6. Chapter 6

Zaf POV

Dawn cast watery light through the apartment, making my eyes sting. Adam was dozing lightly on the sofa, Chairwoman Miaow curled around his legs. Madra looked up at me and whined softly; I checked my watch, noting that she should have had her morning walk an hour ago. Gently, I uncurled from my position, Madra jumping off me, skittering excitedly around my legs. Putting the kettle on, I pulled two mugs from the cupboard. Adam stirred as I shut the cupboard, yawning and stretching widely. He looked around, a bit confused and then noticed the cat on his legs. He didn't move, instead softly running a hand down her back. Brave man. Sensing her discomfort, I scooped her up, freeing Adam in the process. Gently, I tickled her chin, going over to the cupboard where I kept her food. Setting her down, I filled her bowl up with food, smiling as she attacked it. Madra barked, pleading for her own food which I dispensed hastily before washing my hands. Adam was staring out of the window at London, transfixed as people scurried about. The kettle boiled, beginning to whistle piercingly. I pulled it off the heat, flicking the catch and pouring it into the two awaiting cups.

"How do you like your coffee?" I asked, jolting Adam out of his reverie.

"Black please." I set his cup on the counter, taking a long drag from my own. The warm liquid began to rejuvenate me, slowly bringing back life.

"I'm going to take Madra for a walk; I should be back soon." I told Adam, but he shook his head.

"You need to eat, Zaf. If you don't now, Harry will make you. Anyway, you will be able to do better if you have more energy." He said, firmly.

"Okay. There's some cereal in the cupboard, or bread in the bread bin. I'm vegetarian, so no bacon, unfortunately. If you need anything, ask." I couldn't be arsed to fight him on it. I grabbed a bowl and filled it with some muesli, noting that Adam did the same. I ate lackadaisically, not really caring, though the energy did feel good. I eyed Adam as he ate, noticing his crumpled shirt. I finished, clearing my place meticulously.

"Do you want to borrow a shirt?" I asked, pointedly glancing at his creased one. Adam looked down, and grinned a bit sheepishly.

"Yeah, if that's alright." I walked into my room, emerging with a plain shirt; Adam nodded his gratitude and I retreated, allowing him privacy whilst I changed into a clean suit. I checked my watch. If I was going to get to Thames House on time, Madra would have to miss her walk. A thought shot through my head.

"Adam," I started, as he slung on his jacket, "would Harry mind if I brought Madra to work? We'll be late if I take her for a walk and if I don't, she ends up stressed." Adam grinned devilishly.

"That would give them something to talk about. I'm sure that will be fine, as long as she behaves." He replied. I nodded, grabbing an overcoat and Madra's lead.

We arrived at Thames House five minutes early, much to my relief. Security didn't try to stop us on the way in, despite Madra's presence. We walked through the pods, only to be confronted by Ruth, who was immediately greeting Madra.

"Hello to you too, Ruth. I think that's the most enthusiastic greeting I've had yet." I joked. Ruth stood, flushing slightly.

"I prefer cats really. What's she called?" She asked.

"She's called Madra. I suppose it's a good thing that I didn't bring Chairwoman Miaow with me too, then." Smiling, I watched as Ruth pursed her lips.

"That's quite some naming skill you have. Are you serious about the names?" I nodded. "So you have called your dog Dog and your cat Chairwoman Miaow. I can see which one you put more effort into." She shook her head, walking off. Adam glanced at me, grinning. Danny came flying through the pods behind us, almost crashing into me.

"Whoah, easy there." Adam said, voice laced with laughter. Danny frowned.

"I've had a thought about Leo. We sent her a note to wish her luck and I was wondering if she had left anything at the safe-house." Danny was almost incoherent.

"6 have kept the safe-house as evidence, so no one has been in there. As far as I know, it hasn't been searched yet, either." I said, looking to Adam for confirmation.

"Okay, we should go and check it out, but first, we have to brief the team on the videos." Adam decided. Danny spotted Madra and smiled.

"Nice dog. Did Adam sanction it?" He quipped. I grinned at him.

"I guess so. Come on, or we'll be late for the briefing." I walked off to the briefing room, gauging Madra's reaction to the office. She seemed calm enough, tail wagging, so I entered the briefing room, where almost the entire team was already seated. Harry glanced at me, his eyes fixing on Madra.

"What is that doing here?" He asked, almost shouting. Beside me, Madra hunched whimpering. I held my hands up in a gesture of placation.

"If you wouldn't mind, could refrain from shouting. She is a rescue and has been terribly abused." I asked, quietly. Harry grimaced.

"I sanctioned it." Adam said, standing behind Fiona. "The poor thing didn't get a walk and it would have only made us late if we had sorted it out. Besides, I am sure that she will be a much-needed calming influence." He added, mouth quirking up. Harry scowled.

"Fine, but I do not want a repeat of this. Now, Zaf and dog can brief us on the videos." He ordered, taking a sit. I grinned, as did Adam and Ruth. "What?" Harry almost barked.

"I named the dog Dog, only in Irish. It was slightly uncanny, is all." I explained, breathing a sigh of relief when Harry's face relaxed. He motioned for me to continue.

"We have been able to confirm that Leo shows signs of ageing throughout the videos. The locations change in almost every single one of them, but without proper technology, they are unidentifiable. The abuse that she suffers..." I swallowed hard, images of her torment flashing through my head. "The abuse that she suffers is unlike any I, or Adam have even heard of. It defies the laws of any country in this world and would be punishable by death in any country with a death penalty. Due to the fact that Leo is a minor in the first eight videos, the sentence in this country would be life incarceration. It is understandable that many agents left after witnessing these; they are on a level of hell that Dante himself couldn't have imagined." I broke off, aware that the pain on Adam's face probably mirrored my own.

"Adam, do you have anything to add?" Harry asked.

"If the next video comes in today, do not watch it. That is an order. The fact that Matthews is not holding her for ransom leads to the hypothesis that she is a plaything. MI-6's disregard for the case makes her value as an asset very low. We need to extract her as soon as possible; every extra minute is ticking closer to her death. Danny, Zaf and I will go to the safe-house that she was utilising to check for anything that she left behind. I am not sure what we are looking for, but it is worth it. Colin, Malcolm, I would like a report on your questioning of her parents. Ruth, stay on the phone tap. Sam and Fiona, see if Matthews has any weak links in his chain that will help us get to him." Adam instructed. I walked out of the room with Danny, leaving Adam to talk with Harry. We descended a few flights of stairs, ending up in the car park, where we climbed into a large four by four. Danny was in the driving seat and I was in the back with Madra.

"What was Leo like?" I asked quietly. Danny's face creased.

"She was very down-to-earth, rarely bothering with manners. When she smiled at you though, she made you feel like the most important person in the world. It was so easy to forget that she was only fourteen. For two weeks, she helped out with surveillance and the like, mostly desk work. Although she never slacked or refused to work, there was always the distinct impression that she wasn't doing her best. I asked about it once. All she said was that I wouldn't be doing my best if I had been forced into it. Then, Operation Monk's Yard came up. It was deemed a low enough risk that she could go along with Tom, posing as his sister. When he came back, he was distraught. He told us that she had been one of the best officers that he had worked with and he had managed to cock it up right before they left for the ball. Apparently, he had misinterpreted her intentions when she asked for some help, and he had rebuffed her harshly because she was still a child. He thought that she wanted sex. She was understandably upset, and he never managed to apologise. Of course, he blamed himself, saying that he should have taken her away when Matthews started getting a bit handsy. She was far too stubborn to have let him do that though." Danny smiled sadly, remembering. Adam climbed in the car, glancing between me and Danny.

"Shall we go?" Adam asked, sounding a little impatient. Danny nodded, starting the Land Rover and speeding out of the parking lot onto the busy London streets. It only took half an hour to reach the safe-house, a run down looking building, surrounded by yellowing fields. It was extremely grimy but the gravel showed signs of being freshly disturbed. Maybe someone had used it to turn around in. Danny parked expertly and I hopped out, Madra on my heels. Adam produced the key from his pocket, slotting it into the door with some difficulty. The lock clicked and the door swung open, revealing a pile of letters. The dust was thick on most but the very top one looked almost new. Adam pulled out his phone, snapping pictures, no doubt to use against 6. When he was finished, we gathered them up, leaving them unopened, for now. We ventured into the kitchen, rifling thoroughly through everything and moving to the living room, upon finding nothing. The living room proved fruitless too so we checked the upstairs and downstairs corridors, to no avail. The room that Danny marked as Tom's was empty, as was the bathroom, but as we entered the final bedroom, Danny let out a gasp.

A couple of packed suitcases were leaning carefully against the well-made bed. Leo had obviously decided to return for them and then never been able to. A folded piece of paper was perched on the windowsill. I picked it up, gently unfolding it. Her beautiful hand writing swirled across the page. It read:

December 24th 2004

If you are reading this, I am most likely gone from this world. I have realised that my life will always be controlled by someone else and this is my only way of escape. I tried talking. Perhaps I will end up in some sort of hell for this, but the thought does not trouble me as much as the notion of spending more time than necessary here on this earth. I did not jeopardise my mission and I truly hope that the bastard Matthews has a prison sentence bigger than his ego. As I write, snow is falling and I can hear the peals of many church bells. I apologise to all those affected by my death. I never wanted to become another statistic, but that is what I will be confined to. I hope that my parents are disgraced. I am going to hang myself from one of these beautiful trees at the stroke of midnight. Even in death, I suppose I am theatrical. Darkness is calling, and now I shall answer. Goodbye.

A strangled sound squeezed its way from my throat. Adam and Danny looked up questioningly from where they were unpacking her suitcases.

"She was going to kill herself." I choked out, sadness coursing through me. Adam prised the letter from my hands, brow furrowing as he read it. Danny's face contorted into pain.

"That was the drawing." He whispered. "Beautiful trees." I glanced at him and he drew a sketching folder from the bed. He flicked through it, and I caught glimpses of drawings both elegant and savage. He found the page that he was looking for. On it was a pencil sketch of a mighty oak, a body swinging from a rope. I gazed at it, mesmerised.

"I think that's everything." Adam said tightly. Madra was whining softly. I turned, crouching down to reassure her. She nuzzled her head into my hand, ceasing to whine. I stood, soberly making my way out to the car.

We drove back silently, contained to our own thoughts.


	7. Chapter 7

Danny POV

Harry, Adam, Zaf and I were in the briefing room. We had only just returned from the safe-house and the letters, note and sketchbook were sat on the desk. We stood behind it, watching as Harry paced.

"How moronic is MI-6?" Harry fumed. Despite the situation, it was funny, watching as Zaf and Adam couldn't defend their service. Not that they would, in these circumstances. Leo's laughing face flashed in front of me. Had it all been a guise? Every smile and joke and exaggerated roll of her eyes. And now the world had done this to her. "Right, Zaf and Adam, you will be reading the letters. Danny, you are needed by Fiona." Harry strode out of the room, leaving me dawdling in his wake. I wanted to read what Leo had wanted us to hear, but I could not argue with Harry, so I pulled myself together and went to find Fiona.

She was waiting for me, her usually warm face icy.

"We believe that there is a perfect opportunity in Matthews' chain of command. This man, Henry Farnell, was Leo's fiance. It was an arranged marriage that she almost certainly didn't , her family were very keen on it and working for MI-5 was his condition of marriage. It was luck that had Leo invited for work experience here, but Farnell knew about it. At this time, he was working his way up the ranks of Matthews' business and insider knowledge was enough to get him pretty high up. He sold any information that he could get from Leo to Matthews. When they told the family that Leo was dead, Matthews told Farnell the truth, so it is likely that he knows Leo's whereabouts. Now he is engaged to a distant cousin of Leo's. The truth is, he needs the money and if we revealed that he was partly involved in Leo's alleged death, he will be denounced by that family and everyone in their social circle that still see women as property." Fiona spat the last word with such vehemence that I wanted to step away. "He is going to be at a coffee shop in Paddington Station. You will turn him, or if that doesn't work, we will have an armed response team ready to lift him."

"Yep. Sounds good. Legend?" I asked.

"None needed. He doesn't seem to have anyone that we can use against him, so this is the only thing we've got. You'd better do well." Fiona said, barely veiling the threat in her words. She handed me an earpiece. "Good luck."

Zaf POV

I watched as Danny left the room, his decision clear. I sat down at the desk and organised the letters by date. They all coincided with the dates of the tapes. I sighed, petting Madra as Adam took a seat next to me.

"Alright. These letters will probably have some sort of hidden message, but we should read them at face value and then test them." Adam said, voice resigned. I reached for the first letter and he the second. Mine read:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to inform you of my relocation. I am perfectly happy here and do not wish to be followed.

Leonora Bellatrix DuVere

Her writing was large, trying to fill as much of the page as possible. I nearly gagged at the content, remembering the first of the videos. Adam seemed to be having the same reaction beside me. All sixteen of the letters contained similar messages, but as the dates progressed, her writing became a scrawl. I picked up the last letter, written recently if the dates were to be believed, and sniffed it slightly. The stench of urine wafted up to my nostrils.

"I think we need to heat these up." I said to Adam, who nodded mutely, gathering the letters up. I stood, carefully dislodging Madra from my feet, following Adam to the tech suite.

"Malcolm, can you heat these up, please. I would also suggest not reading them, but that is at your discretion. We will be in the briefing room." Adam said, depositing the papers on Malcolm's desk. I turned, going back to the briefing room, where I opened Leo's sketchbook. I could feel Adam standing behind me, but I didn't acknowledge his presence, lost in Leo's work. A great, writhing monster was coiled around a heart, done in chalk and charcoal. I flipped over, revealing a grand house, surrounded by trees. The detail was incredible. On the next page, she had drawn a skull, festooned with roses. Then there was a drawing of Harry, wearing one of his almost legendary scowls. She had captured him perfectly, and I heard Adam huff a laugh. A woman was next, her face set and determined. The caption told me that it was Zoe. Danny almost jumped off the next page, flying through the pods like he had done this morning. Malcolm was laughing on the page after, then Colin, studying his computer. A man frowned out from the next page, the caption telling me that it was Tom. Countless sketches of the team in the briefing room, in the office and out in London filled the pages, until the first sketch of the safe-house spread into being. From there, pictures of Matthews, and of Tom were dotted between sketches of trees and monsters. I found the one that Danny had showed me earlier, the body swinging grotesquely from an oak tree and shuddered. After that, there was only one more sketch; the Grim Reaper beckoning, grinning, waiting as Leo reached out to take its hand. I heard Adam swear under his breath and I echoed the sentiment, closing the book as Malcolm returned the letters.

Carefully, I picked up the first one, examining the pale lines of writing that ran cross wise to the original text.

You probably saw the tape. Send help, please. I don't know where I am, or why I am here, but Matthews had to break my toes to get me to write this. I have not been asked to disclose information, just to obey him. If you have found my suicide note, know that I have faced a reckoning and decided to live. Tell Tom I forgive him. Leo.

The next letter was equally disturbing.

I am being starved, my only nutrition Matthews' come. My nails have been ripped out due to some 'disobedience'. If I am being held to ransom, don't give in. Leo.

I picked up the next letter, scanning it. It reiterated the message, as did the next five. The ninth however made my heart shrink.

If you are reading this and not doing anything, you are a cunt. Send help. It is hard to write as my fingers have been broken, because I flipped Matthews off. Leo.

I read the next four, leaving only two.

I almost died today. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. Help. Leo

I am in London now. Tell Harry Pearce that I will haunt him forever once I die. Leo.

"Fuck. We need to do something." I whispered, handing the last letter to Adam. Colin barged in, not bothering to knock.

"We have the video." He said, face tight.

"Send it to my laptop." Adam instructed, opening up the machine as Colin left. A minute later, the video was playing, Leo's broken screaming quiet, now her vocal cords were snapped. Even so, she kept fighting, broken fingers clawing at Matthews weakly. It was hideous, but by no means the worst of the tapes. When it ended, I ran to the bathroom, Adam on my heels as we retched breakfast into the sinks. I splashed icy water on my face before heading back to the briefing room where Harry was sat, fondling Madra's head.

"Danny is bringing in a man called Henry Farnell. He is high up in Matthews' chain of command and Leo was going to be forced to marry him. Intel suggests that he will know where Matthews, and therefore Leo is. What have you learned?" Harry asked, face tight in a scowl so similar to the one in Leo's sketchbook. Adam reached out for it, finding the page whilst I did the talking.

"The safe-house letters had a second message written in urine. There was not much intelligence, apart from the fact that she is in London. We also discovered a suicide note, along with some of her things including her sketchbook. Again, not much intel from either source. The video also came through. Malcolm and Colin are seeing if they can find out a more specific location through the factors in the video. I request the first questioning of Henry, with Adam. I was trained in that area by an ex-KGB agent, so I know what I'm doing." I said, voice betraying no emotion. If Harry was surprised he didn't show it, flicking through Leo's sketchbook as he thought.

"Yes. I'll allow that. There is a certain amount of deniability that I need, as to your methods, but remember that we're not America just yet. Farnell is in the cells now. I will dissect Malcolm and Colin's reports whilst you question him. I will look after Madra whilst you do this." With that, Harry left, taking Madra with him. I stood, letting Adam lead the way to the cells. We stood outside the door, watching through one way glass as Farnell tried to figure out where he was.

"How do you want to do it?" Adam murmured beside me.

"Start with good cop, bad cop routine. If he doesn't talk, we'll get creative." I replied, letting Adam stride through the door first. I slid into the seat opposite Farnell, smiling just a bit.

"Hello, Mr Farnell. You are here because we have some questions for you. I believe that you may be a bit shaken up after your ordeal, and we can see to it that you are fully recompensed for your troubles. Now, could you tell us the residence of Roger Matthews?" My tone was silky as I stared at him. Farnell's beady eyes sparkled as he kept his lips closed.

"Where is Matthews?!" Adam roared from behind him. Still, Farnell didn't talk.

"Henry, I believe that you were going to marry a girl named Leonora DuVere. Now you are engaged to her distant cousin. I know that you are in desperate need of the money that she will bring and how your reputation would suffer if it was known that you were responsible for Leonora's untimely death. We can make a deal. If you tell us where Matthews is at the moment and everything about him, we will set you up with a new life, safe from Matthews. If you refuse, we will make you talk, one way or another and then tell the world that you are the cause of Leonora's death. You can go crawling back to your old life, without a penny to your name and no chance of marrying anyone." I said, voice cold and threatening, without dropping my facade of politeness.

"Choose!" Adam yelled. Farnell had the good sense to look scared.

"Roger Matthews is currently living at 2 Knightsbridge Road, SW1X 7QS." He almost squeaked

"Thank you, Mr Farnell. Our colleague will be along shortly to discuss more information." I informed him, rising gracefully from my seat and exiting, Adam on my heels. As soon as I had left, my demeanour changed into one of intense worry.

"We'll go to Harry and get an armed police team to the address. We can both go in, with Harry's sanction. Leo can be brought to the temporary medical centre here, so as not to aggravate her mental condition. Harry should come too, so she has a recognisable face."

"Let's go." I replied, sprinting off to Harry's office. I knocked once on the door, barging in before he could respond.

"We need an armed police team to SW1X 7QS, No. 2. Zaf and I will lead the attack, but think it's best if you come too, so that Leo has a familiar face." Adam told Harry, whilst I petted Madra. Harry picked up the phone, calling for the team, whilst Adam scribbled some notes on a spare piece of paper. Hanging up, Harry grabbed his overcoat, striding out of the office. Adam handed the notes to Malcolm, as well as Madra, who looked pleased enough. We hurried down the stairs to the parking lot, where we climbed into the Land Rover from earlier. Adam sped out onto the roads, navigating skilfully around other cars.

"Well Zaf, I don't see any blood on you. What did the man teach you?" Harry asked, trying to distract us all.

"Manners. And how to skin someone alive. The latter was not necessary." I replied tightly. Harry's mouth twitched.

"Excellent. Although I suppose those manners don't include knocking properly." Harry quipped.

"In Russia, they don't knock. They just barge in whether you like it or not. That led to some very interesting discussions, I can tell you." I managed to joke. "Ah, comrade, what are you doing cutting the tiny tree?" I said in my best Russian accent. I saw Adam smirk, just a bit. With a squeal of tyres, we pulled up behind a nondescript black van.

"This is it."


	8. Chapter 8

Zaf POV

I was standing in the back of the armed response vehicle as Harry briefed them on the situation. The buzzing in my head was so loud that I could barely hear him.

"...Now Zaf will brief you on the hostage." Harry finished. My attention snapped on as the team looked towards me.

"The hostage has been in captivity since 2004, when she was fourteen. You may have heard of the MI-6 operation, known as White Dryad, Lost Girl and Hopeless. Now, we wish to extract the hostage- code name Survivor- from the house. We do not want to engage in fire, as her safety is paramount. She has been subjected to a plethora of depravities, so will most likely be intensely traumatised and suicidal. Do not give her the chance to end her life."

"I am Alpha One, Zaf is Alpha Two. Benn is Bravo One, and the rest of you are Bravos Two to Eight, alphabetically. As a team, you will be known as Trojan One. Bravos One, Six, Seven and Eight will be covering the back entrance, to make sure that Survivor does not slip through our fingers. I will reiterate: do not engage in fire unless defensive. Bravos Two to Five will be storming the house from the front. I will lead and Alpha Two will bring up the rear. Questions?" Adam rattled off the information as if he had rehearsed it in his head. He probably had. Silence ensued. "Good. Bravo One and team will take up their positions here." Adam jotted circles on the blueprint of the house. "And we will be entering here, completing sweeps of each floor before moving onto the next. Is everybody clear?" Nods flew around the confined space. "Now, Bravo One and her team are going to assume their positions. Radio in when you have and then we will advance. Go." The four officers climbed out and jogged away, the sound of their boots ringing against the pavement.

Adam handed me an assault vest, removing his jacket and putting his own one over his head. I did the same, listening intently to the chatter of the four officers behind us. All of them were men, and I could hear faint snatches of their conversation.

"...shag Lost Girl..."

"...how will she look when we find her..."

"...bet you latrine clean that you'll get hard seeing her..."

My blood boiled. But they had not seen the videos, so had no idea how tormented Leo was. Her body could do the talking for itself.

"Alpha One, this is Bravo One. Positions assumed. Do you copy? Over." The crackle of the radio stalled their conversation.

"Copy that. Over." Came Adam's reply. "Let's go." He said, jumping out of the van, followed by the four officers. I slammed the doors and jogged after them, easily keeping up. The front door came into view; Bravo Two shot the lock in and the door swung open easily, revealing a silent house.

"Armed police! Get on the floor with your hands where we can see them!" Bravo Two yelled into the void. Not a scuffle or a clang was made, so we divided into three groups to sweep the ground floor. I barged into the kitchen with Adam, gun drawn. We circled it quickly, not finding anyone.

"Clear!" I shouted to the other teams, their replies echoing mine. The next floor was the same, but on the third and final floor, I heard the sound of someone's raspy breathing. I stayed on the door whilst the other officers swept the remaining rooms. When they had finished, they assembled behind us, eyes gleaming slightly. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for the possible horror, then barged through the door, the team following suit.

I heard four people vomit on the plush carpet as Adam came to stand by me. I gazed at Leo, who was unrecognisable to the picture I had been studying for so long. She was so painfully thin that her teeth were outlined by the skin on her face, and she was wearing a hideous leather harness that formed a pentagram on her chest. Suspended from an upside-down cross, her outstretched arms had obviously been broken many times, as had her legs. The injuries were too numerous to count, but there was a note that had been pinned to the cross.

This girl was one of your officers. I had my fun, and now you can have yours.

Roger Matthews

Leo's heavily made-up face looked terrified, and breathing was obviously difficult. I heard Adam radioing in for Harry. My emotions swirled around me, but I mastered them, kneeling down besides Leo.

"Hello Leo. My name is Zafar Younis, and I am currently working for MI-5. We are here to get you out to somewhere safe." I kept my voice as gentle as possible, as if talking to a frightened bird. Her green eyes widened, almost imperceptibly as Harry strode through the door. She smiled slightly.

"Hello Harry. It looks like I never got to carry out my threat. I reckon I would make an excellent ghost." Her voice was no more than a rush of air, barely understandable. I felt my chest tighten at her bravery.

"Leo, we are going to free you and then take you to a medical centre, so you can be examined by a doctor." Harry's voice was choked, and I saw a tear in his eye. Leo nodded, as much movement as she could muster in her position. I noticed that the chains weren't locked, and carefully began freeing Leo, making sure that she didn't fall, or jar her injuries too badly. When I had almost finished, a thought occurred to me.

"Can you stand?" I asked. She shook her head.

"Peroneal strikes." She hissed, and I could indeed see the large bruises beginning to form.

"Do you mind if I carry you?" I questioned.

"Okay." Leo replied. I heard one of the officers say something about snapped vocal cords behind me. Leo caught it too, sighing. "This is the result of severe vocal haemorrhaging." She whispered, managing to sound frustrated. I had finished freeing her and very slowly scooped her up, marvelling at how calm she was. I carried her feather-light form to the Land Rover, strapping her into the front seat. I climbed into the back, along with Adam, as Harry got into the driving seat. The car was silent, apart from Leo's raspy breathing, which seemed too slow. Finally, we arrived back at Thames House and I lifted Leo from the seat, trying not to inflame her wounds. We walked to the med bay, where Malcolm had set up a bed for Leo. A woman in a white coat was stood firmly beside it.

"Good afternoon. I am Doctor Lalley and I have been assigned to take care of you." Her voice was surgical as she motioned for me to put Leo on the bed. "First, I am going to test your blood and then we'll do a full body MRI, which will have to be sent to an analyst. We can use that to determine which is the best course of action." Leo managed to nod, her muscles not allowing her to flinch as the doctor removed the harness. "You have had a very high dosage of a drug which has incapacitated your muscles." Lalley frowned. "I want everyone out of the room whilst I conduct a preliminary assessment. Now." I had no choice but to follow Adam and Harry out of the room.


	9. Chapter 9

Leo POV

Doctor Lalley's face was contorted into an expression of disgust as she examined each of my injuries. I wanted to kick her probing fingers away, but the drug that Matthews had administered still had me in its clutches. A needle pricked my arm and I dared not close my eyes, the things that I knew would play in front of them too fresh to remember. I was free. The words clanged through me, hollowly echoing against the pit that I had descended into. But would I ever be free of the ghostly fingers that wrapped around me? Bile rose in my throat as Lalley's fingers assaulted me once more. I met her dark eyes, realising that they were sorrowful.

"Forgive me. I will be done soon." Her voice was rich with a Jamaican accent, yet emotionless. I wondered how many cases like mine she had treated. The bed that I was lying on began to move towards a closed off room. Inside was what I recognised to be an MRI scanner. "Your examination will take around two hours, and the drugs that you have been given will probably have worn off. I ask that you don't move, for your own benefit. I'll be through here, but won't be able to hear you above the machine, so if you need anything, press this." Lalley slotted a button into my hand. "Good luck." she said, departing. I lay there, motionless as the machine began buzzing and whirring around me.

Two hours later...

The drug had probably worn off by now and the machine had slowed to a halt. Lalley came back, her face serious.

"I am going to dress the worst of your wounds, then, if you want, there are some people who would like to see you." The words rolled off her tongue as she wheeled the bed back to its original place. Gingerly, I lifted my arm, pleased to find that it worked. I tried my legs and they throbbed as I managed to lift them up a bit. Lalley returned with a tray of dressings, which she started to apply over the worst of my injuries. The pain kept me from zoning out, grounding me to the real world. I thought about Tom, wondering if he was really gone, like Matthews had said. Lalley finished dressing my wounds, giving me a long look. I returned her stare, raising my eyebrow slightly, exhilarated at the freedom, even as my muscles tensed in anticipation of a reprimand. She sighed, shaking her head. "If you want, you may have your visitors. However, I must insist that you do not verbally communicate, instead using written communication." I gave her a look. "It will only be for a few weeks. Your vocal cords have, in non-professional terms, 'snapped'. This is due to severe haemorrhaging and the best and only cure is to rest them." She reached for a notepad and pen that I had noticed earlier. "Visitors?" She asked. I took the book and pen from her, nodding, even as my wrecked fingers screamed in pain. "I'll show them in."

A clicking of footsteps retreated down the ward, multiplying and intensifying as Lalley returned with my visitors. I kept my gaze averted until they had reached me, still unsure if it was all some elaborate ruse on Matthews' part. Gathering my courage, I looked up. My heart nearly cracked as the faces of Malcolm, Colin, Danny, Harry, Zafar and the quiet man stared back. No Matthews. Despite myself, and Doctor Lalley's disapproving stare, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, gesturing for everyone to sit in the conveniently placed chairs.

"Leo. I thought that I would never see you again." Malcolm's voice cracked slightly as an odd mix of joy and pain radiated from his face. I smiled, disregarding Lalley's instructions.

"I wasn't planning on it. Nice surprise, though." I rasped, unleashing some of the furious joy inside me onto my face. Lalley tutted, and I shot her an unimpressed glance. "What Doctor Lalley is trying to say is that she thinks I shouldn't be using my voice. I, however, vehemently disagree, due to the situation."

"We brought you these." Danny said, handing me a pile of sketchbooks. I turned to the first page of one and recognition hit me like a blow to the chest.

"Wow. I am assuming that you held my parents at gunpoint to get these. Although,if they think I am dead, it would not matter to them anyway." My joke fell a bit short. "I think that I have a sketch of almost everyone here, save for Quiet Man." I said gesturing at him. Zafar looked confused. "You went to Oxford University, correct?" He nodded. I flicked through the sketchbook that I had aptly named 'University', my fingers protesting loudly. Finally I found the page, where a young-looking Zafar was ensconced, like a cat, in a reading chair.

"Young and sleazy, the kind to touch you up as soon as look at you. You might want to test your drinks around him? What does that mean?" Quiet Man asked, looking slightly horrified. I rolled my eyes.

"The professor showing me around was trying to gauge my reaction to... well a relationship with someone like that. He was also trying to discourage me from attending, and due to him having been spectacularly handsy, my reply denied me a place at the university, at least until I was old enough. I said that at least you had the young bit going for you. Old is just not somewhere I want to go. I didn't believe him. People who are like that don't tend to curl up reading 'Feminist Literary Theory'." Although my cracked lips protested, I grinned.

"Well thanks. Maybe you'll have to add me in a slightly better light." Zafar grinned back. I noticed Quiet Man assessing my injuries.

"What is your name?" I rasped, perfect grammar somehow still sounding imperious. He glanced up, looking a bit guilty to have been caught in the act.

"Adam, Adam Carter." He replied.

"You have been through something similar, I believe, maybe more than once. Abroad, most likely, as both you and Zafar are from 6, originally. At least there will be someone who realises the darkness prowling." His face registered extreme shock.

"How did you know?" Adam choked out.

"Everyone here, apart from you, could barely bring themselves to look at the injuries. You, however, were assessing them, their severity and how they were caused, leading me to believe that you underwent something similar. Recognition rather than pity. Also, your thumb has been broken, set at an odd angle, re-broken and reset, but not too well. Matthews told me about who was on my case, so it was a logical assumption." I was about to add more when a shock ran through my body, jolting me. "Matthews is still alive and free, you bastards." The current intensified as sparks ran across my eyelids. Adam was shouting something, but I couldn't focus, Matthews' looming face branded into me.

"You've been very bad." He whispered, reaching out his hand. I barely noticed the pain stop, lost within my personal hell. A hand on my shoulder had me kicking out, screams stuck in my throat. I opened my eyes to see Lalley poised with a needle hovering above my arm.

"Don't you dare." I growled, pain still coursing through my body as Matthews faded. Lalley had the good sense to step back. "I want to feel everything, and now, when I am fixed I can find him. I will get him extradited if I have to. I've heard Bagram, or Guantanamo Bay are quite nice at this time of year. Mikhail said that the Salt Pits were quite scenic too." I smiled a little sadistically. "The shocker is a small band around my fifth left toe. I think it would be prudent to remove it." Zafar opened his mouth as Lalley stepped forward.

"Mikhail Gregorovitch?" I shrugged, even as the movement sent fire through my body.

"Bastard never told me. I never asked. I met him in the V&A I had managed to escape from my parents, and he thought it was funny. We hated each other, mainly because I wanted to be a marine. He thought that I would be wasted there, more likely trying to recruit me to the Soviet Union that he adored so much. I would miss days of school to go and visit him, and his films. You could never knock though; he would have his gun drawn by the time you had stuck your head into the room. Sorry, I'm rambling, now." I croaked, joy at reminiscing turning cold as Lalley removed the ring from my toe.

"I knew him too. He convinced me to join the service. He died two years ago." Zafar said, face alight at the anecdote.

"He used to talk about you, said that I should meet you. I always refused. Tell me, did he leave you his film collection?" Zafar nodded. I grinned. "He's not dead. He's gone back to Siberia, where he owns a little plot, ex-gulag I think. He hated being followed continuously. I probably should not have said that in a room full of spooks. He'll be harder to catch than Matthews though, so by the time you have caught up with him, he most likely will be dead anyway." Zafar looked shocked. Harry scowled.

"I will have to tell the D.G. Please excuse me Leo. I will be back tomorrow, as will most of these people, if you wish, to review the results of your MRI." He told me, gently.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow." I rasped, waving a broken hand slightly. "Right, I want to add Zafar and Adam to my sketchbook. Danny, if you have some spare time, I request a full document on Tom and Zoe. Malcolm, do you think you could find me my file, and Matthews? Also, if you have a spare laptop, could I have it please, with all the CCTV you managed to procure of Matthews." I felt an adrenaline rush as both men nodded, giving me an intense feeling of control. "I will see you both tomorrow, then." I turned back to Adam and Zaf, who both looked bemused. "I do not know either of you very well, and I cannot put much faith in you at all. However, Mikhail was a good man, and I trust his judgement enough. As a survivor of a similar ordeal, Adam, I inherently expect some sort of understanding and if not, Lalley will kick you out anyway." I made myself as comfortable as possible, opening a sketchbook to a blank page.

"I think Mikhail talked about you too." Zafar said, resurfacing from his thoughts. I raised an eyebrow.

"Elaborate." I instructed.

"It was thinly veiled, something about a 'rival' or someone that I really should meet. Then he would start talking about the glory of Russia, or something similar." He broke off, sinking into silence.

"I asked him not to. He told me about you and your 'white knight complex'; I decided that I didn't want someone else involved in my life. Now, Adam, I feel that you know far more about me than I do about you. I have a question, and you don't have to answer, but who did it to you?" My curiosity was high as I studied his face.

"Syrians, and Russians. It was pretty bad, but not drawn out. What he did to you..." He trailed off.

"I don't want to hear it. Save it for the briefing room." I snapped. He had the good sense to look apologetic. I sketched furiously, my fingers yelling in agony. "Fucking Matthews. Too fragged to be a marine now." I muttered. Nausea swooped over me and I grabbed a bucket as I was suddenly and violently sick. I finished retching, every bone, nerve, tissue in my body screaming.

"Are you okay?" Zafar probed lightly.

"Does it fucking look like it? I just regurgitated a bucket's worth of come, but yes, you could say that I'm just fine." I considered flipping him off, but stopped myself, an odd realisation clanging through me. "Apologies. It has been a long time since anyone has cared." The horror and shock on their faces told me that I may have gone too far. "Zafar, you own a dog, am I right?" He looked glad for the distraction.

"Yes. She's with Malcolm at the moment." He replied, horror still flickering on his face.

"Interesting. I would have pegged you as a cat person. Maybe it's just how you sit." I managed to joke. Adam's phone rang and he jumped, fishing it out of his pocket.

"Adam Carter. Yes, he is. Why? Okay, I'll be right there." He hung up, standing slowly.

"Your child?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Go, I've finished with you anyway." He nodded his thanks, striding away purposefully. "I almost met you once." I said idly.

"Apart from at Oxford?" Zafar queried.

"Yes, Mikhail had arranged for us to go down to a place called Goodwood, to attend the Festival of Speed. When we got there, he told me that he had invited you as well. You never showed up."

"I remember now. I was pretty devastated, as I enjoy cars. Mikhail had told me that he had someone interesting for me to meet, and my girlfriend at the time caught wind of it. She faked a pregnancy to get me to stay." I huffed a laugh.

"Is your life ever boring?" I quipped. He grinned, forgetting himself.

"Abso-fucking-lutely not." He said, smiling wider.


	10. Chapter 10

Zaf POV

Leo was concentrating hard on the page in front of her, pencil working away in her mangled fingers. She would glance up occasionally, studying me, her gaze even more piercing than in the photos.

"So, are you a regular womaniser, or is it just your party trick, Zafar?" She asked, her rasping voice echoing through the quiet.

"I try not to make a habit of it. Zaf is fine by the way." I struggled to remain light-hearted. She nodded. Doctor Lalley appeared at the end of the corridor, wearing a long coat.

"I am going home now. Your condition is not critical, so no overnight assistance is required. However, if anything changes, I will be mechanically sent an alert. I will see you in the morning, if not sooner." She told Leo.

"Of course." Leo replied. A thought struck me.

"What about using the ablutions?" I asked, feeling slightly self-conscious. Leo fixed her gaze on her hands.

"It will not be necessary." She said tightly. Fresh hatred for Matthews surged through me. What had he done to her? Lalley left, bag swinging, holding the door open for Malcolm and Danny on her way out. They approached, files and laptop in hand. Madra was walking beside Malcolm, tail wagging lazily.

"Hello Leo. I have brought the laptop as you asked." Malcolm said, placing it next to her. She shut her sketchbook, giving him a smile.

"Excellent." She rasped, face lighting up. Danny handed her the files, face grim. She smiled again, properly, and I remembered what Danny had said about how it made anyone feel.

"You will need to log in as yourself, if you can remember the details. I have reactivated your account and sent you the CCTV, as well as digital copies of all the files. You do need to be careful, in case there is someone sniffing around it, as some tend to do. Also, this should automatically connect to the internet, but if not, the code is X53N748IPD. I have also brought a portable charger, should you need it. Is there anything else?" Malcolm finished, almost to himself. "Ah yes, your dog is here, Zaf. She has been very good all afternoon, bless her." Malcolm smiled affectionately, handing me her lead. Madra jumped into my lap, the sudden weight unexpected.

"Thank you, Malcolm. And you, Danny. I really appreciate this. Now, you'd all best be getting home, it's quite late. It has been a long day, but it has been indescribable to see you two again. Thank you also Zaf. I am sure I will see you tomorrow. Good night." Leo rasped.

"It is really unbelievable to see you again. Good night." Danny replied, smiling.

"Yes, I quite agree." Malcolm said.

"It is good to finally meet you." I responded, giving her a small grin. Rising from my seat, I turned on my heel, walking out before I could say anything that I would regret.

Leo POV

Everyone had left, presenting me with a unique opportunity. I opened the laptop up, hastily logging in and accessing the open circuit CCTV. Matthews did not matter too much at the moment, but I did want to find Tom, wherever he was now. With some simple coding, I had accessed the main bank of footage and I set to work finding him.

A few hours later, I had pinpointed his home address and place of work. He was employed as a lecturer at the University of Greenwich and was living not far from there. Using his work address, I emailed him, asking to meet. I was surprised when he responded almost instantly.

Dear Miss L.,

Although you have not specified a reason as to your impatience to meet, I can only assume that it is in regards to my profession as a spy. I must inform you that I am no longer employed within the government and have not been for some time; my information is outdated and no longer useful. However, I am willing to meet at a specified location.

Yours faithfully,

Tom Quinn

His answer gave me all the confirmation I was looking for, so I replied.

Mr. Quinn,

I wish to meet inside the Thames House medical bay, at 05:00 hours. I will disable the circuits for five minutes either side of this time.

Miss L.

I watched as the clock ticked over to 4:45, and set about disabling the security systems, thankful for the hacking training I had received.

05:00 hours

Right on time, I heard footsteps halt outside of the medical room door. It cracked open, and Tom's eyes met mine. His face went slack and he blinked rapidly, trying to process what he saw.

"Hello, Tom." I said, sounding tired even to myself. "Have a seat." I gestured to the chairs laid out beside me. Dumbly, he nodded, doing as I had bidden.

"Leonora." I flinched at the name.

"It's Leo." I said sharply.

"What happened to you?" He breathed, disbelief written across his features.

"I was kidnapped and tortured for four years. Today, they found me and extracted me." I told him, struggling to remove the emotion from my voice.

"I am so sorry. I tried, honestly, I did, to get you back. All I wanted was for you to be safe and to apologise for hurting you like that." His voice shook as he surveyed my injuries.

"I forgave you a long time ago. I wanted to see you to tell you." I rasped, tears threatening to overflow my eyes. "Can I draw you?" The request was unexpected, but Tom nodded. I reached for my sketchbook and pencil, opening it at Zaf and Adam. Tom's face tightened.

"Leaving the service was one of the best and worst things I have done." He said, as I began sketching. "It has been hard adjusting to civilian life, but worthwhile. I gave up the secrets, and the lying and just was me. I can even have a life, friends, a family if I wanted one. Even so, I never forgot the people, and the feeling of being on an operation. It cuts me in two, thinking about it." A tear slipped down his face. "I abandoned you. I can't even begin to describe how I feel, seeing you here." My eyes stung as a mirroring drop trickled across my cheek.

"You are not to blame. Please don't put that on yourself. I am free." I needed to remind myself of that more than him. I glanced at my laptop. The time read 05:15. "What time do people start arriving?" I asked quietly.

"Not until half six." He replied. I sighed, no more than a rasp of air in my throat.

"I will finish your drawing, then say goodbye." My tongue was heavy in my mouth as I shaded, bringing Tom's face to life. Finally, I stopped, looking long and hard at the man before me.

"Leo, I hope that you go on to have the most amazing life, if it's in the service, or the marines, or anywhere. You are the most incredible eighteen year-old that I have ever met, and could ever hope to, even if the world has failed you so greatly. Never blame yourself for the atrocities committed." His voice was choked.

"Tom, I was saying goodbye from the first time I met you, but I never thought that it would feel like this. I don't know you, really, but the time that I have spent with you has shown me that you deserve to be happy. Goodbye, Tom Quinn." I smiled at him, despite the small hole in my heart. He smiled back, getting up to leave.

"Goodbye." With that, he turned and left.

Now, all I had to do was notify Mikhail of the government's awareness. I set up another anonymous email account, posing as an advertising company.

Dear Mr Greg Michaels,

We are hoping to endorse our fabulous new product: a digital copy of Homer's Iliad. With Taurus e-books there are a full range of classics to choose from, all at the press of a button! The offers are endless, and we hope to see you soon. The Iliad awaits!

Taurus E-books

14-15-23-73-211-229-233-379

Hurry whilst there's still space!

I kept the e-mail short, and impersonal, hiding code throughout. Sending it, I fervently hoped that he'd understand my message, hidden in the numbers and the pages of the Iliad. I was always Taurus to him, partly due to my chosen name already having Zodiac associations, but also because, as Mikhail had said, my determination could be likened to that of a bull's. Not that that was particularly flattering. I closed the laptop, eyes drifting closed as an oily, threatening black descended.

Zaf POV

I had arrived early to check on Leo, worry for the flashbacks she might have had on her own in the night. I opened the medical bay door softly, trying not to wake her, although I doubted that she would appreciate my intentions. I settled into a chair, curling up naturally as I watched her eyelids dance. Her sketchbook was still open beside her, and I saw a fresh picture of Tom Quinn; the caption read 'Leo, I hope that you go on to have the most amazing life, if it's in the service, or the marines, or anywhere. You are the most incredible eighteen year-old that I have ever met, and could ever hope to, even if the world has failed you so greatly. Never blame yourself for the atrocities committed. Goodbye.'

Barely concealed tears threatened to slip down his face as he smiled out of the page. Leo must have met him last night. I was impressed that she had managed to do so, brow crinkling at the skill it must have taken. My pager buzzed and Leo's eyes flicked open, face contorting as she fought to rein in her terror.

"Hey, I didn't mean to scare you." I said carefully, watching as recognition flared.

"I imagine that those tactics don't get many girls." She rasped, sounding exhausted. My phone rang and I apologetically retrieved it from my pocket.

"Zaf, do you have eyes on Leo?" Harry's voice was curt.

"Yes, why?"

"Last night there was a level one security breach that shut off all alarms, cameras and other security systems. We were hypothesising that Leo may have been kidnapped." Harry explained, relief underlying his tone.

"I can confirm that Leo is still here, however I believe a conversation may be required, perhaps to be conducted after the review of the MRI." I suggested, hoping that Harry would catch on.

"Of course." With that he hung up, leaving me to wonder what I had just done. I noticed that Leo had closed her sketchbook and was cradling it to herself, looking angry.

"Well thank you Zaf." She hissed, glaring. "You are the most intrusive person that I know of, which is saying something extreme. Fuck you." Even with her ravaged voice, it was clear that she was livid.

"It's only a conversation." I replied, although guilt coursed through me. A quick spark of fear jumped across her face.

"You know, Matthews used to say that, before he'd gag me and beat me senseless." Leo's voice was completely emotionless. "I suppose that you will have to understand if I am not the most receptive to your suggestion." I felt hot shame warm my cheeks.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to throw you under the bus; I believed that it was beneficial for the service, and my duty lies there, currently." I tried, my words sounding flat and regurgitated as they hung in the air. Leo considered, quirking an eyebrow.

"I suppose that you are right. I betrayed Mikhail yesterday, and although I have endeavoured to make amends," a smirk twisted her face, "I still hold responsibility. I value your apology." Opening her laptop, she furrowed her brow, clearly indicating that the conversation had ended.

"I am going to go upstairs now. I'll see you for the review." I told her, more heat rushing to my cheeks as she grinned.


	11. Chapter 11

Leo POV

I was fuming, and I told myself that it was at Zaf, even as shame at my flawed work burned through me. Giving in to my more emotional side had been a mistake, something that did not occur often, thankfully. Doctor Lalley came striding in, carrying a folder with what I assumed to be the whole of D Section following.

"I have your MRI analysis, which we shall now review with D Section and MI6's Zafar Younis and Jools Siviter." Lalley said, face impassive.

"Right. I would like to know who everyone is, and, seeing as you are party to this, I believe that it is owed." I rasped, my throat excruciatingly painful.

"That is interesting logic. Is this totally necessary, however?" Jools purred. Immediately I disliked him.

"Necessity is an ironic concept from a patrician who served in Russia. Even more so when your use of your orientation is considered." From the look on Jools' face, I knew that I had guessed correctly. Harry looked as if he was suppressing laughter.

"I don't know what you are talking about, although I have a good mind to have you put on trial for your insolence." Jools was flustered and looked to regret his words, however he stood by them. Zaf opened his mouth to jump in but I beat him to it.

"There is nothing that you can do to me that is worse than the crimes you have already committed. I would like to see you try and push this one through the courts, however." I told him, ignoring the mixed reactions from around me.

"My 'crimes' are non-existent. Now, can we get this over with?" Jools replied, schooling his face into boredom. I fought the rage inside me, neutrality becoming my mask.

"Your crimes will be discussed at a later date. For now, this is Fiona, Ruth and Sam; I believe that you know everyone else." Harry said, effectively ending the conversation. I nodded my gratitude to him, examining each agent. They seemed to be decent enough, although only Fiona could look me in the eye.

"From what we can see, the majority of your wounds are superficial and can heal easily with the correct care. However, the broken bones in your fingers and toes will have to be reset, along with your wrists, shins and ribs. Luckily, the abuse has not caused any bleeding on the brain, and it seems to be healthy. The damage to your sexual organs is unlikely to ever be fully repaired, although corrective surgery may give you a chance at fertility. You will require an IV for a while, so we can determine how your digestive system is working, as well as hopefully helping you to gain some weight. Many of your muscles have experienced atrophy on top of this. There is some damage to your spine and we are unsure if you will be able to walk again. For now, the most important thing is your mental health and recovery from the trauma." Lalley's words buzzed around my head, making my seething fury rise exponentially.

"Did you even read my file? Because it would have clearly told you that I am infertile." I glared at her, even as my face yelled. Adrenaline coursing through me, I swung myself out of the bed, screaming as my feet hit the floor. I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood, the metal tang coating my tongue, grounding me. Shakily, I took a step, almost collapsing from pain. I took another, defiant as I flipped them all off. "I will fucking walk. I will fucking join the fucking marines, if I want." I ground out through tightly clenched teeth. My legs threatened to give out but I carried on, until I was standing in front of Jools. I realised I was only wearing a hospital gown, but that no longer mattered. "You failed me." I hissed. "This is your fault; those letters that I sent told you where I was if you had bothered to even find them. There was layers of code that told you everything I knew and you ignored it all. Now, I am being told that I might not walk. Your crimes are now fully corporeal, although I would prefer to be wrong, or dead." My voice was quiet as I almost collapsed, Jools' shocked look the only thing keeping me standing. He stood, striding out of the room and I almost fell into his vacated seat, screaming through my damaged throat.

"Wow, Leo. You are a fucking warrior." Zaf's voice was hoarse as he regarded me with something like admiration. I knew the look on my face was nothing short of feral.

"Be that as it may, aggravating your condition is highly unwise." Lalley chimed in. I glared at her, letting just a bit of my torment show.

"You do not seem fit to pass any judgement when you have not even read my medical file. However, your concern is not unfounded, and I will keep displays like that to a minimum, for now." I rasped, exhaustion sweeping over me as my adrenaline withdrew.

"I believe that you may know something about last night's security breach." Harry changed the subject entirely, fixating his gaze on me. I decided to not reveal my hand just yet, instead playing innocent.

"An intriguing assumption. Tell me more about the breach." I wanted to gauge how much they knew, and how thoroughly I had done my job.

"From 04:55 to 05:40, all the CCTV, audio monitoring and other security programmes were disabled. So far, we have been unable to trace the hacker, the source or the purpose of this, although no malware has been detected. All our files are still intact and no harm has come to anything. We are at a dead end." Colin said, sounding slightly put out. I could not help the pride that coursed through me at my success.

"Why do you believe that I would know anything about this?" I asked, directing the question at Zaf. He looked guilty.

"The sketchbook." He admitted. Sam went to retrieve it but I held up a hand.

"Do not touch it." I ordered, threatening her with my tone alone. She looked between me and Harry, trying to make a decision. Loyalty overtook; she picked it up, handing it to Harry. "That, I fear was a bad call. You seem inexperienced and so eager to prove yourself, but I can see that sometimes your judgement is clouded. I would have thought that your humanity was greater than that though." I expected Sam to back down in the face of my scathing remark, but she squared her shoulders.

"This isn't just about you, or your pride. I don't know who you think you are, but you have no right to act as if you are better than all of us; you are younger than me, but call me inexperienced, as if you have worked more than a month as a spy!" Her indignant look was almost endearing enough for me to leave it alone. Almost.

"That is where you are wrong. I have spent four years as a spy, gathering information and cultivating a mask. Do you think that I would be here today if I had just given in? Can you even imagine what it is like to face anything like that on a daily basis, and not let your captor see how much he's hurting you? I never cried, do you know that? Even when I was raped, and starved, and made to feel like an animal; not once did I cry. I am not going to give in so easily now, either. Please hand me the sketchbook." My silky tone was at odds with her grating, harsh rebuttal and I watched coolly as she struggled with herself. The room was silent as she handed it to me. "What do you want to know Harry?" I asked, redirecting the conversation. He seemed to snap back to reality.

"I would like to see what convinced Zaf that you had something to do with this." Harry said, legendary scowl more prominent than ever. I opened up the book on Tom's portrait, lying it in my lap.

"I believe it was this." I betrayed nothing in my tone. Many eyes fixed on it, recognition painfully clear in all but Fiona and Zaf's eyes.

"How?" Danny breathed.

"What do you mean?" I toyed, unwilling to sway. Danny scowled too, as did Adam.

"Leo, Sam was right. This is about more than just you now. If you didn't do this, then we could have a breach of security, and one of the most severe ones ever." Adam almost growled. I sighed, rolling my eyes dramatically.

"Yes. I did cause a security breach and I did locate and meet Tom Quinn. Happy?" My ploy was concealing a much larger, darker truth; there was no way I was giving that up so easily.

"Ecstatic." Harry returned, deadpan. It seemed that they had fallen for it, in various states of shock and disbelief. Zaf was regarding me with curiosity, looking as if he had seen through it.

"Why did you give in so easily?" He asked, causing concern to flare through my body. I let my bottom lip quiver a bit as I widened my eyes, slipping into another part.

"I just needed to see him to tell him I was sorry." My voice wobbled a bit, purposefully. Zaf and Adam didn't seem happy with my answer, shooting identical looks at Harry, who nodded.

"I am going to leave Zaf and Adam with you, for now. Everyone else has work to do." Harry instructed, skirting around the nature of their tasks. Bastard. Fuelled by my anger, I rose from my seat and made to walk back to my bed, agony tearing through me as my legs betrayed me. The linoleum floor raced up to meet me as I collapsed.


	12. Chapter 12

Zaf POV

Leo's broken scream tore out of her throat. I jumped out of my seat, trying to figure out how to help her, knowing she didn't want to be touched. I crouched beside her, extending my hand but she glared at me, pushing herself up and sitting on the bed.

"I think that Nikita Gill wrote a poem about you." The words slipped out of my mouth in a blur, before I could stop them. I felt a flush rise on my cheeks. Leo chuckled softly.

"Are you going to tell me which one?" She rasped, setting me at ease.

"It starts: Some days I am more wolf than woman..." I broke off as her eyes lit up.

"And I am still learning how to stop apologising for my wild." She finished off. "That is not exactly the best interrogation tactic I have ever heard, Zaf." She breathed, huffing a laugh through her nose.

"Yeah, and acting like you are not the strongest person to ever walk this earth isn't the best tactic to fool anyone." I retorted. She smiled ruefully.

"Perhaps not my finest moment, I will admit." Leo rasped.

"What are you hiding?" Adam asked, sounding frustrated. Leo's face darkened as a sadistic smile crossed it.

"I do not know. Maybe it is an endless darkness; inescapable screaming; agony unlike any you've imagined or it could be revenge. In any case, I do not expect you to understand." She responded. She seemed to revel in our shock, watching intently.

"No, I don't think it's that. I think it's a need to prove yourself, a matter of ego. You are filled with shame and enjoy watching people suffer." Adam's voice was like ice. I knew that he had gone too far this time.

"Perhaps you are right. So what if you are? I have proved myself the world over, more than once. I'm still alive, and entitled to an ego as big as I choose. If I enjoy watching people suffer, it is not a choice, although I have a feeling I would have ripped you and Zaf apart already if I did. No, Adam, I feel that this is an assessment of yourself." Leo's face was impassive, as was her voice. She smiled lightly.

"Leonora, I need you to forget whatever it is that's holding you back from telling us the truth because whatever you're hiding is really important." Adam had softened his tone, but I saw Leo tense at the name.

"Don't call me that." She bit out. Adam's face hardened.

"What's your problem?" He asked, a bit more savagely than probably intended.

"My problem? Ha! I'll tell you my problem. That's the name that he used, So you will excuse me if I ask you not to open up wounds that haven't healed." Leo's expression was twisted in anger.

"Okay, I understand." Adam replied running a hand over his face.

"Я уведомил Михаила. Скажите Адаму, и вы продадите его свободу." Leo suddenly rasped. I have notified Mikhail. Tell Adam and you risk his freedom. Shit. What decision did I have?

"Я говорю по-русски, если вы не знали." Adam piped up, smiling. I speak Russian too, in case you didn't know. Instead of looking shocked, Leo smiled back.

"Я знаю." She replied. What was she playing at? "Possum vobis nota imagagine pauci sermones. Album habere possum?" Her tone was light and the Latin flowed off her tongue easily. I didn't understand, so kept quiet.

Adam POV

I can imagine that you are familiar with quite a few languages. Can I have a list? It had taken me longer than I was proud of to translate the Latin, but now that I had, I was no closer to finding an answer to my burning question.

"Quod sic. In reditu ad album tua." Yes. In return for a list of yours. I thought that this was fair, as did Leo, who nodded. "Languages aren't exactly my thing but I speak Arabic, Russian, Latin, French, German and Spanish."

"Interesting. I rather enjoy languages. I speak Afrikaans, Albanian, Russian, Macedonian, Zulu, Mandarin, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Esperanto, Dutch, Ancient Greek, Greek, Latin, Hindi, Japanese, Kazakh, Mongolian and Norwegian, as well as some Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Irish, Hebrew, Swedish, Portuguese, Swahili and Ukrainian. I think that is everything." I reeled at the impressive list. Beside me, Zaf smiled.

"Mikhail said about you being unnecessarily gifted." He joked. Leo shot him an almost pleased look.

"I will not tell Harry about Mikhail, as I trust your judgement. However, there is a question that I would like answering in return." Leo eyed me for a while. Eventually, she nodded.

"What?" She bit out, unwilling.

"How much are you pretending to be okay?" The question shot out before I could evaluate the situation. She studied me.

"Why do you want to know?" She bit out, glowering. I shrugged. "Whatever. I don't pretend." She lied.

"Yeah, and I never got tortured by the Russians." I retorted, prodding for information.

"What do you want from me? Do you want me to break down and cry, or admit that I feel dirty and ashamed? Do you want to add to your power complex?" She was getting angry now, and I could almost feel the heat radiating off her. I stood, taking a step towards her. Instantly, she recoiled, but before I could retreat she was up in my face. "That's it, isn't it? You want to see how much I relive it. Trust me, if you want the details, you only have to ask. When you took a step towards me, all I could see was Matthews. When you asked for something in return, I heard his voice. I was a slave, Adam and I thought that I had been freed, but now I know I was mistaken. I do not pretend to understand you, but if I did not pretend to be alright, I think I would have killed myself. Happy?" She spat every word like venom, and I flinched as I realised how much I had hurt her.

"Leo, I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt you, I just want to help you through this. You really are remarkable, and I cannot believe how well you are doing. You have to talk though, take it from someone who knows." I held my hands up, stepping back to return to my seat. Zaf watched silently, brows knitted together. Leo sat back down, still glaring viciously.

"How did you send word to Mikhail?" Zaf piped up, trying to change the subject. Leo looked almost relieved, reaching for her laptop. She brought up an email, turning the screen to face us. It seemed a little odd, but I gathered that the message was contained in the Iliad. Zaf barked a laugh. "That's quite something. What was the message?" He asked, looking curious. Leo rasped a breath.

"They know." She said simply, quirking an eyebrow.


End file.
